We all like to wear stylish clothing and carry chic purses. To some of us, this is far more important than it is to others. Like me. I’m not really into style. If I’m ever actually ‘in style’ it’s a mistake, an accident, a coincidence, a fluke! Believe me. I’m far more interested in comfort and the color pink than I am in the latest styles.
There are trendy styles, classic styles, and then there are timeless styles. I’m no fashion expert (see above paragraph), but I know what I like. And, sometimes I like what I see at the mall – but usually not. Like right now. The shop windows are full of 1970’s, nylon looking, sacks for dresses with huge geometric designs in ugly colors. Well, ugly on me. The occasional pink or lavender colorway does not make up for the yuckiness of these wearables. For me, they are not actually wearable.
And the shoes and purses! Primary colors are not me! What would I do with a bright yellow purse the size of a diaper bag? Gratefully, I left the diaper bag stage about 20 years ago and hope to never encounter it again. Maybe as a grandmother one day, I’ll have a different outlook. So far, tho’, no grandkids. So, no big yellow sacks for me!
The French have a perfect saying for this: Chacun a son gout (minus the cute accent marks that I can’t figure out how to create). ‘Everyone has his/her own taste.’ Mine leads to Goodwill vintage, comfortable, roomy, and short – and cheap! I’m still paying those three college tuitions off. Bet you’ve got similar bills that trump your fashion sense (should you be blessed with one, unlike me).
So, I try, often to no avail, to stick with the classic and timeless styles. I can usually recognize those. They’re what’s actually for sale at Goodwill and not at the mall! They’re $3 at Goodwill and $30 to $300 at the mall. Further, if they’ve been washed and dried a few hundred times before finding their way to the Goodwill hanger, I KNOW they’re good quality. No such guarantee of excellence exists for mall purchases. No, not even from Ralph, Donna, or Yves.
So, I scout online for crochet patterns that suit my particular tastes. I try to AVOID actually looking like I dressed at Goodwill or for Goodwill prices. However, I have a few friends who discuss our spectacular finds with glowing commendations that others save only for that Fifth Avenue store. Who can find the least expensive pair of black Ralph Lauren chino’s? Who has the oldest pair of Birkenstock’s? Who’s outfit consists of the least non-recycled garments? Heck, I even buy yarn at Goodwill!
So, in that spirit, I’ve been surfing the net to find some timeless and classic crochet designs that would fit into my wardrobe. While I’m not exactly vintage myself, I do like the look of many vintage garments. Further, I find that, as far as crochet goes, the patterns are often better written and contain fewer errors than more modern, and perhaps more stylish patterns.
One disclaimer about ‘vintage’ crochet patterns: The pattern writer often assumes far more knowledge of crochet than one might actually possess. Some of these patterns actually leave a lot to the imagination or to your ingenuity in determining how to get from Point A to Point B in a pattern.
So, herein follows some of my favorite ‘vintage’ (really or they just look that way to me) crochet patterns, free online versions. Enjoy!
This lovely purse only looks vintage. It’s a current design available as a free pattern:
www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=0&d_id=116〈=en
What better way to create your own vintage look than to crochet a simple sweater
www.crochetkim.com/patterns/adultjiffy.html
and add a lovely vintage edging like this:
http://beetonsbookofneedlework.com/page_199.htm
and embellish it with these vintage look flowers:
Other patterns are actually vintage – or maybe just dated – but can be updated to suit our more modern tastes with some simple pattern alterations. Here’s a sweater that would be flattering to a lot of us without the deep waist line ribbing.
www.freevintagecrochet.com/women/crocheted-slipon-sweater-pattern.html
For my body, I’d just continue the stripe pattern of the main sweater down to what would become the bottom hem and finish it off, with or without a simple edging. That would be a simple pattern alteration to completely update the sweater to suit my body in 2008.
Other creations really are timeless. This lovely, diaphanous shawl would fit nicely into almost any wardrobe in almost any era. Wish I had one of these to snuggle under in an over-air-conditioned room this summer!
www.freevintagecrochet.com/shawls/peachtree-street-shawl-pattern.html
Now, back to 2008!
The link to the Vintage Slip On Sweater doesn’t work.